Making Lifestyle Changes to Reduce Cholesterol
Tips for Lowering Blood Cholesterol without Medications
Dec 27, 2008
High blood cholesterol is a major cause of heart disease, the number one killer in many developed countries. It affects 42 Americans and 63 million more have borderline high cholesterol. In Australia, more than 50% of the population over the age of 25 have high blood cholesterol levels.
While people with dangerously high bad LDL cholesterol levels (more than 200mg/dL) should take cholesterol-lowering drugs, those with lower levels should seriously give drug-free approaches a try. And since a person’s lifestyle has the single greatest impact on his cholesterol, the focus should be on changing daily habits to lower the level. Here are some suggestions:
Eat Healthily
If you develop a healthy eating plan and stick to it religiously, you will be on the right path towards losing weight. The rules are simple. Avoid eating too much food and avoid foods rich in saturated fats (animal fats and offal meats) and trans fatty acids (some margarines, shortening, peanut butter and commercially sold cookies).
Instead, focus on foods low in saturated fats such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, low-fat or fat-free dairy products and lean meat. Eat fish such as mackerel, trout, tuna, sardines and salmon at least twice a week. Also, use monounsaturated fat found in olive, peanut and canola oils when cooking.
A qualified dietician or nutritionist can also help draw up a suitable dietary plan for those who seriously need to modify their cooking and eating habits.
Exercise Regularly
Excess weight often worsens blood cholesterol level. However, losing just a few pounds can do the reverse. So make regular exercise a routine. It doesn’t have to be a strict, regimented exercise program. Just a brisk walk in the park, bicycling, swimming, dancing or even walking the dog can be extremely helpful in lowering bad LDL cholesterol and boosting good HDL cholesterol. The idea is to move the body regularly.
Don’t Smoke
Smoking lowers good HDL cholesterol levels and raises the blood’s tendency to clot, which can eventually lead to a heart attack. However, quitting the bad habit can improve good HDL cholesterol level. That’s not all. The benefits of not smoking go beyond lowering the HDL level.
According to doctors at Mayo Clinic, just after 20 minutes after stopping smoking, the blood pressure drops. Within 24 hours, the risk of a heart attack is also reduced. Within a year, the risk of heart attack is only half of that of a smoker’s. Fast forward 15 years, the risk of heart disease is similar to that of a non-smoker.
Drink Alcohol Moderately
Although red wine has been linked with higher levels of good HDL cholesterol, it doesn’t mean you should consume red wine in big amounts. In fact, women should have no more than one drink a day while men should limit it to two drinks a day.
A healthy lifestyle that includes good dietary habits, regular physical workout, not smoking and drinking only moderately will help regulate blood cholesterol. Not only are these approaches drug-free, leaving no adverse side-effects, they are definitely more affordable than cholesterol medications too.
Those who find this article useful may also be interested in reading Managing Diabetes by Caring for the Heart and Cholesterol-lowering Foods.
References:
Mayo Clinic – High Blood Cholesterol
Terry Robson. “Taking Control of Cholesterol” that appears in GNC LiveWell magazine. Summer 2008 issue.
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